What If
by Unknownred
Summary: What if Sakura wasn't fighting Sasori but Sasuke? What if Sakura didn't give granny the antidote? What if granny was too late to save Gaara? Will Sakura win the fight against Sasuke? Will Gaara live with the help of granny or not?


**What If**

By: Unknownred

A/N: I do NOT own Naruto!

Summary: What if Sakura wasn't fighting Sasori but Sasuke? What if Sakura didn't give granny the antidote? What if granny was too late to save Gaara? Will Sakura win the fight against Sasuke? Will Gaara live with the help of granny or not?

(A/N: Imagine the usual fight with Sasori but Sakura is fighting Sasuke now.)

I got to help her, she thought. Sakura ran, jumping from rock to rock, trying to catch up to granny.

She was almost there, reaching the point where her eyes widen, her lips parted with a silent gasp, her face turning pale. He silently loomed with a blade out over granny who was injured from her cuts. Granny was poisoned and was fighting against the numbness that's taking over her body.

Sakura ran with all her might, reached the border. She gasped inwardly. The blade shot through her side. He held the sword. Granny turned, as blood splattered from Sakura's wound onto her face. Like slow motion, blood flew across his face, not hitting him like granny but seeing the stunned look on his face, you would've secretly think he'd regret it.

Sakura swallowed the whimper down. She crouched, knowing the sword is in her and that she's losing too much blood. She breathed out gasps. She looked up, her eye twitching.

"Sakura?" Granny called out, shocked that Sakura was stabbed for her, "Are you alright?"

"Yes…" Sakura huffed, holding in the pain, "The real…question is…are you alright?"

Granny nodded, "Hai…Argh!"

Granny doubled over, clenching her wounds. Sakura peered over her shoulder, worry in her eyes, "Lady?"

"Heh, you're worried over someone when you're wounded, Sa-ku-ra?" He spoke, chuckling.

Sakura snapped her head back at him, her eyes narrowed, "Yes. Isn't that… how I… was… with you?"

This took him back. He narrowed his eyes at the memory. He was just bitten by Orichimaru and Sakura came to his service, providing him with care. She had the worry look and how she cried for him, her and Naruto and showed that she really did care.

He churned the sword so that it made even more pain for Sakura, "Oh well, you're going to die anyways."

"Good then." Sakura replied, smirking.

"You've changed a lot, hm?" He spoke, frowning at her smirk.

"Wouldn't you like to know? Too bad Ima be dead before you know it." She said a teasing in her tone.

He didn't chuckle, but as if Sakura could tell by looking at him, she didn't see the sad look he held deep behind his eyes.

Sakura began using her chakra, healing the wound from inside her body and stopping the blood.

"Sa-Sakura?" Granny spoke, unwillingly, she held her injured body, and peered at him who kept churning the sword in Sakura, "Why? Aren't you one of Konoha's Nins?"

"Was." Sakura gritted through her teeth, "A traitor… he is. We've… been trying… to bring him… back for… three years now and—"

"Naruto failed at that, Hn." He laughed, glaring down at granny.

"Naruto wouldn't have failed if you'd get over your stupid revenge and power!" Sakura shouted at him, with the strength she had left.

"Tch, how annoying you still are." He twitched.

Sakura shivered— not in coldness, but in anger, "Stfu Sasuke!"

Sasuke stared at the wounded Sakura who breathed non stop. He began to pull out the sword but what surprised him was when Sakura held onto the sword and pulled.

"What?" Sasuke snapped, "Why, do you want to die faster?"

Sakura shook her head, angrily spat at him, "I'm not giving up."

That was all that took Sasuke to realize Sakura has changed from an annoying fan girl to a strong Kunochi.

"Granny." Sakura breathed out, "T-take the antidote…"

Granny looked up at Sakura, "B-but what about you, Sakura?"

"I'm fine." Sakura cringed at the pain, when she pulled, relentlessly.

It was a tug a war between Sasuke and Sakura with his sword. Sasuke didn't want to hurt her even more although Sakura said she wouldn't give up, and kept pulling it back in place. Sakura lost even more blood.

"Where's the antidote?" Sakura asked, steering her head towards granny who shrugged, "Oh no."

"You mean this?" he said.

Sakura and granny both shot a glance back at Sasuke who held the small bottle of antidote Sakura made before hand. She meant to give it to granny if need of trouble but maybe accidentally fell from her into the grasps of the traitor Sasuke Uchiha.

"I don't think you'll need this anymore, since you're going to die in a few minutes." He said, crushing the bottle. The liquid spilt from his hand to the floor.

Sakura lurched forward, "No— Argh!"

"No!" Granny cried out the same time Sakura cried out 'no'.

The sword that she held onto, stabbed her even further, but she was so close to Sasuke, she looked at his hand then bowed her head.

He noticed her tremble in pain, but mistake her afterwards. Sakura began to laugh.

"Oh Sasuke…do you…remember…?" She slowly raised her head, her eyes meeting his.

He stared down at her, swallowing.

"That…day…that…night…" Sakura inhaled, "you…left us…? The day…you became a traitor to…us…all…?"

Sasuke could only nod. Granny looked on as Sakura spoke.

"You…" Sakura breathed in faster, squinting her eyes and opening it again, "lost."

Sasuke was taken aback, suddenly two puppets yanked him, and swords pierced through his body, holding him in place, "What?"

Granny moved her fingers, "Lost focus, didn't you?"

Sakura held the sword in place, unmoving.

"You see, when you broke the bottle and the antidote spilt onto the floor, I had it absorbed into my chakra without you knowing." Granny answered to his question.

Sasuke gave a death glare at her. Sakura stood her ground, concentrating on standing.

"I see." He said only, "Well then…"

"Lets this…be the…end, Sasuke!" Sakura shouted forth.

Sasuke and granny looked at Sakura. She clenched the sword still in her body.

"Granny…do me…a huge…fa-favor…?" Sakura exhaled a big breath.

Granny nodded, kneeling now, "What is it child?"

"Save the person we came for." Sakura coughed out. Blood splattered out Sakura's mouth.

Granny looked on at Sakura, "Yes of course, but I'm not lea—"

Sakura shook her head, violently, "Get going, old lady!"

Granny stared not the less, standing up now, she nodded and set off. Before she went, she whispered, "I'll be back for you Sakura. I'll be—"

"Smart move you made." Sasuke muttered looking at the puppets still attached to him, holding him from doing anything. Granny's chakra was still in contact.

"You…and I…are going to die…here together…" Sakura motioned, looking up at the sky, "I won't… let you… hurt Naruto with… your petty… lame power."

"It's not I who will hurt him; it's you Sa-ku-ra." Sasuke smirked.

Sakura nodded, "He will understand why I did it."

"Will he? That brain of his— I bet he hasn't changed from when we last met." Sasuke laughed, bitterly.

Sakura shot an icy glare at Sasuke.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team, Naruto, Kakashi, and Gai sensei's team had rescued Gaara and laid him on the fields of grass. Wind blew from each direction signaling silence.

Naruto began, "Where's Sakura chan and granny? Where's Sasuke?"

Neji, who was observing the fight before had spoke, "Talking to Sasuke. They got him surrounded."

Won't last long, Sakura is a strong Kunochi now. Naruto thought.

"Are they okay?" this came from Lee.

Neji nodded, "Still alive."

Naruto bent down towards Gaara, "Come on Gaara, wake up. You're not dead; I won't believe my brother is dead!"

Naruto nudged Gaara's lifeless body. Nothing. The group was silent, as they mourn for their lost kogage.

"He just…started," Naruto started cry, his shoulders trembling, "He just…became a kogage! Why now? Why is this happening? Why does it have to be Gaara nii?"

No one said anything. Naruto continued.

"First I couldn't save Sasuke and I can't save Gaara either…for three years, I trained so hard but nothing is changed!" he yelled, tears spurring off his face.

The team sadly looked down, elsewhere, knowing the feeling Naruto felt.

"It's not the first time." Came an old voice.

Everyone turned to find granny stumbling forward, a hand on her cut.

"Baa chan! Where's Sakura chan?" Naruto cried out, standing still for a moment, fear in his eyes.

"Backing up for me." Granny muttered. She walked towards Gaara and Naruto, "Now, lets see what I can do."

"B-but what can you do? You're all…" Naruto stopped talking, thinking twice then nodded, letting granny do her thing.

Granny knelt down, "I heard what you said, Naruto. And I couldn't agree more."

Granny placed her hands on Gaara's abdomen and began her medical process.

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For the time being, Sakura stumbled sideways, clearly couldn't hold out much longer and fell to her knees. Sasuke only watched, breathing hard from Sakura's attacks. Now he watches as she fell to her knees, holding in her fewer breaths than before.

"What now, Sakura?" He says loudly, "Are you going to die on me? We just got started."

"No…" Sakura huffed, "Not yet."

Sakura swallowed.

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"Ohh…" Granny wiped a sweat from her brow, she hid the sadness in her eyes, "I'm— I'm sorry, Naruto…I…"

Naruto looked down at Gaara again, and cried out pushing granny out of the way.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, but Naruto ignored him.

"Shut up!" He yelled, "Just shut up!"

"Did you ever consider how Gaara felt?" he cried out, "Did you even ever ask?"

No one spoke for Naruto was saying something beyond truth, "Call us Jin chuuriki… what gives you the right to label us?"

No one said a word but just listened, "Who are you to decide someone else's fate?"

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"You don't know what family is!" Sakura sputtered out, coughing up more blood.

"You don't think I had one?" Sasuke growled.

"You had one? You had lots! And you killed one!" Sakura yelled at him, pointed a useless finger at him, "Don't you think why your brother killed your family but didn't kill you?"

Sasuke growled furiously, "How dare you bring him into this?"

"I…" she spat out some blood, "You're one to blame. You killed your own brother! Meaning, you killed your family too. But this time, without reasoning."

"Shut up, what would you know?" Sasuke spat at her.

"All you wanted was revenge and power!" Sakura screamed, "But you never thought of patience, ever! You're too spoiled!"

That was it for Sasuke, as he launched forward, grasping Sakura's neck in a choking position. Sakura cried out.

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"I'll try again. I'm sorry." She said, thinking twice.

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"Do you hate me, Sakura Haruno?" Sasuke tightened his grasp.

"No."

"Not even if I end your life now?"

"No. Even if…you do…Naruto will bring you home." She said.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled at her, quenching his hands around her throat.

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"I need more chakra…" granny hushed voice reached the others.

She saw a pair of hands in front of her and looked up to see Naruto's. She nodded as he gently placed his hands on top of hers and started giving it out.

Time to time, minute to minute, the body began to move. His eyes slowly opening as Granny's eyes began to close. Naruto patted granny's shoulder, thinking she was tired of use of chakra. Naruto sat Gaara up.

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"This is the end for you." He said.

"Then kill me, I dare you." Sakura panted.

He stared at her as she crumpled to the ground, restlessly; she still breathed even more fewer breaths.

"As you wish." He nodded, grasping the sword still stuck inside of Sakura. Before he yanked it, he shot a glance at Sakura's tearful face and softened up.

"No…" he whispered.

Sakura didn't hear him, awaiting her death.

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A group of Nins arrived from the Sand Village, waiting for Gaara to wake up. As soon as he did, he made contact with joyous Naruto.

"Gaara! You're back!" Naruto cried aloud.

The crowd smiled in relief, cheering. A girl who was close to Gaara smiled and waved.

"Naruto." Gaara spoke for the first time.

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"Sasuke." Sakura mumbled, "Why are you…?"

Sasuke still held onto the sword slowly let go and knelt to Sakura's level.

"Shh…" he said, pushing her down gently, letting her head lay to the ground staring up at him in bewilderment, as he brushed her bangs out from her face.

It was the first time in three years that Sakura saw some gentleness in Sasuke. He then stood, looking around and darted to a nearby rock. Noises were heard.

As the noises came closer, Sakura closed her eyes a bit, not recognizing the voices. As soon as the voices were clear, a clear sharp shrrnn sound was heard. And then it was silent.

Sakura cried aloud, letting it all out. The sword that was stuck in her was gone. Sakura coughed up more blood, her eyes wet with tears. Sakura moved with disability, her fingers crawled up, trying to bear the pain of a sword getting ripped out of her body.

Sasuke heard, and came out from his hiding place and watched Sakura in agony. He gently picked her up and—

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"Sakura…?"

"Sakura!"

"Sakura!"

"Omg! Sakura!" TenTen gasped inwardly, seeing two people approaching slowly toward them.

"It's Sakura!"

"Help! Someone get Sakura help!"

"Naruto! Gaara!" TenTen yelled out.

"Kakashi sensei, Gai sensei! It's Sakura!" Lee yelled out.

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It was a gray morning, and it was raining outside. Everyone stood from the shrine. Looking mournfully and gloomily at the picture that sat there. Her face was perky and she had this sweet smile on her face. Everyone said nothing except listen to the pitter patter of the rain drops.

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I wouldn't have mind if you were right next to me

I draw the attention of a new time machine

And if it was so I'd know

To this day I'd say

If you weren't gone I was told

If it weren't for you to save me that day

If it wasn't painful to watch you each day

To live for me and everyone else

To tell me I love you in ten million ways

I couldn't be more than glad

That you're here by my side

And even when you're gone

I'd pray, that you won't be long

If it were so and tell me I know

Something is happening today

Something I rather not say-ay-ay-ay

It's the end of the day…

(A/N: The ending song of this story describes in tone by everything that had happened. Besides truth is told, I was crying while Naruto was telling everyone his meaningful speech. )


End file.
